1. Field of the Invention
My invention relates to the field of therapeutic rehabilitation devices. In particular, my invention relates to devices facilitating exercise and rehabilitation of the ankle following medical complications or physical injury to the ankle and corresponding muscle groups.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A stroke is a neurological event taking place in the brain of a person that is caused by a lack of blood to the brain. Sometimes a stroke will cause temporary or permanent paralysis of the body's muscle groups. These muscle groups can include the muscle groups of the lower legs and the feet. Often the victim of a stroke will suffer temporary or permanent paralysis of the muscle groups which operate the ankle bones and joints and the victim will sense that the ankle bones and joints have "locked up".
Other physical conditions and diseases will have similar effects on the muscles, bones, and joints of the ankle region of the body. Those physical conditions and diseases include: 1) peripheral vascular disease, a disease which comes with aging and which is caused when the blood vessels in the lower leg fill up with plaque and cause conditions, such as arteriosclerosis and the consequent lack of blood supply to the lower leg, which then causes the inaccurate function of the nervous system and the consequent inability to move the lower leg, 2) nerve injury, and 3) orthopedic injury such as arthritis, muscle sprains, and bone fractures, such as bone spurs.
The ankle joints and muscles are very important for various physical functions such as safe ambulation (walking), stair climbing, and for balancing. The ankle joint is capable of a wide range of motion including dorsiflexion and plantar flexion. Dorsiflexion brings the toes upward and closer to the front of the leg and plantar flexion points the toes downward, curling the sole of the foot under and deepening the arch of the foot. In addition, the ankle muscles, tibialis anterior and the gastrocnemius-soleus unit muscle groups, are critical in the proper functioning of the ankle. The tibialis anterior is an extensor muscle of the anterior compartment of the leg which acts to extend the toes and to produce dorsiflexion. The gastrocnemius-soleus unit muscle groups is a prominent flexor muscle group forming the calf muscles. Together with the Achilles tendon, the gastrocnemius-soleus unit muscle group act to lift the heel and to produce plantar flexion.
Therefore, when injury occurs to the ankle joints and muscles it is imperative to rehabilitate and exercise them, if possible, inorder to restore stability and range of movement, increase strength, and recover neurological capacities so that the victim of the injury can walk again. This is possible by exercising one ankle, if only one ankle has "locked up", or both ankles on a device which is capable of isolating the movement of the ankle or ankles to forward and backward motion and thereby, to pure and isolated dorsiflexion and plantar flexion. In addition, exercising a "good", healthy ankle with a "bad" ankle at the same time will aid rehabilitation of the "bad" ankle.
The prior art devices designed to exercise and rehabilitate ankles can be characterized by different tensioning structures capable of movement in various directions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,536 discloses an Ankle Rehabilitation Device that is capable of exercising one ankle at a time in multiple directions. This device discloses a plurality of attachment points extending around the perimeter of the foot receiving platform for providing the various directions of exercise. The device also provides a resistance means and an adjustment means to vary the resistance. However, this device only exercises one ankle at a time, strapped by straps 21, 22, and 23, and does not allow the user to use a "good" ankle and foot to assist the "bad" or "locked up" ankle and foot in the therapy. Moreover, the foot receiving platform is mounted on a ball joint which acts as a pivot to provide the various directions of exercise and the device does not focus solely on pure, isolated dorsiflexion and plantar flexion therapy.
Other prior art devices, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,469 disclose exercise boards mounted on a roller that is secured to the assembly by a retainer pin. The feet of the user are adapted to be placed on opposite sides of the roller so that the user can shift his or her weight from one leg to another to cause the board to pivot on the roller. No straps are used to hold the feet of the user to the board.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 2,374,730 discloses an Apparatus For Treatment Of The Feet which is a pair of platforms that are mounted on spring hinge members. Bumpers 36 and 38 are mounted at opposite ends of each pivotal member so that as the foot supports are rocked on their respective spring hinge members, the bumpers can cushion impact with an underlying support frame. The feet are exercised one relative to another by moving the support member on their respective hinge members while each foot is held by individual straps. Again, one "good" foot is not capable of helping the other "bad" foot. In addition, the pivotal member is located at the end of the platform and not underneath the arch of the foot where maximum therapeutic ankle exercise occurs to the ankles' joints and muscles.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of my invention to provide an orthopedic device ankle exerciser that securely straps the feet of the user to the device and thereby isolates ankle exercise and creates pure dorsiflexion and plantar flexion of the ankles as well as strengthens the anterior tibialis and gastrocnemius-soleus unit muscle groups.
It is a further object of my invention to provide an orthopedic device ankle exerciser that re-educates the anterior tibialis and gastrocnemius-soleus unit muscle groups following damage due to strokes, peripheral vascular disease, nerve injury, and orthopedic injury.
It is a further object of my invention to provide an orthopedic device ankle exerciser that provides the means for a "good" ankle to assist the "bad" ankle in pure dorsiflexion and pure plantar flexion exercise as well as to provide the means for one ankle to be exercised at a time, the device being adjustable to any foot size.
It is an additional object of my invention to provide a simple, economical therapeutic orthopedic device ankle exerciser and method of use.
It is an additional object of my invention to provide an orthopedic device ankle exerciser that can be used in either sitting position or standing position and can thereby be used in geriatrics, athletics, and the like.
Other objects of my invention, as well as particular features, elements, and advantages thereof, will be elucidated in, or apparent from, the following description and the accompanying drawing figures.